1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable personal authentication apparatus used in, for example, an electronic system which performs only personal authentication or which is based on personal authentication and an electronic system, to which access is permitted by the apparatus and, more particularly, to a portable personal authentication apparatus and an electronic system, to which access is permitted by the apparatus, which preferably are used for security management electronic commerce, or urgent notification in the case of a car accident or a disaster in the sea or mountains having occurred.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electronic settling system in which predetermined electronic data, together with personal information, is stored on an IC card, credit card, debit card, super card, etc. and payment is performed by exchanging the electronic data has been known as a substitute for cash.
Meanwhile, electronic commerce with a communication network, such as Internet, is being realized in recent years. Various techniques for performing settlement regarding electronic commerce on a network have been suggested accordingly Settlement with a credit card or cash settlement with E-cash having the same value as real paper money has is a typical one.
Under such conditions the possibility of everybody accessing a computer connected to Internet occurs and the importance of electronic authentication for judging whether a user is authorized or information is proper is increasing. In addition, companies have begun to use Internet for important business, such as commercial transactions, so electronic identification has become essential in a network society.
Furthermore, a notifying system for urgently notifying the competent center, such as a fire department, the police, or an insurance company, of information about the accident in the case of an air bag in a car operating is being realized recently. However, even if an air bag operates, the accident can be slight or this may be caused by a device malfunction. With a slight accident, the person concerned can release the urgent notifying system. With a major accident, however, somebody can release the urgent notifying system by intention or mistake. In this case it is important, for example, to authenticate a man who notified as the person concerned.
In the above electronic commerce, if electronic settlement is performed using a storage medium, such as an IC card, or if settlement is performed using a credit card, user authentication by password input is necessary each time a system is used. The reason for this is to prevent its unfair use by a third party, but this has the disadvantage of complex operation and processing. Furthermore, without such a protective method, it has the disadvantage of the entire amount of money set on an IC card etc. being exposed to the risk of unfair use by a third party.
If electronic commerce is performed with Internet, the latter settlement system needs a credit card and information, such as a card number, which needs security must be sent in some way. This has the same disadvantage as the electronic settlement with an IC card has.
In the above notifying system of a car accident etc., a highly reliable method for authenticating the person concerned is also required in the case of releasing the urgent notifying system and notification or the cancel of notification is expected to take place with high reliability.
A method for easily performing personal authentication anywhere which is also applicable to cases other than the above, will be necessary in the future. In a card society there is a flood of cards. People must carry many cards and manage cards, which is troublesome to them.
An object of the present invention therefore is to provide a portable personal authentication apparatus which can solve the above problems, perform personal authentication, being essential in a future society anywhere, and be used for all purposes and an electronic system to which access is permitted by the apparatus.